specialised cooker.

Water put over heat boils and creates steam. The inside rim of a pressure cooker lid is fitted with a rubber sealing ring or gasket which ensures that, once the pressure cooker is properly closed and locked, nothing can escape.

In this tightly sealed environment, steam builds up inside the cooker and creates pressure. With the increased pressure bearing down on the surface of the liquid, the water molecules don't break up to create steam as readily, and thus produce more heat. In doing so, the boiling point of water is raised from 212 0 F to 250 0 F when 15 pounds of pressure have built up inside the cooker.

In addition to the speedy nature of pressure cookers, several other advantages of these marvels are worth noting: 1. They are very energy efficient. Once they've achieved a full head of steam, heat can be reduced to a whisper. This saves money and keeps the kitchen cool.

2. They are economical. Less expensive cuts of meat, lauded for their marvellous flavour and tenderness after hours of cooking, can now be ready in less time, thus using less energy.

3. All foods can be cooked in the pressure cooker without added fat or oil.

While some of the recipes use butter or oil to brown meat, this step, and hence the fat, can always be omitted.

4. Because foods cook quickly and in a tightly closed chamber, very few nutrients are lost.

Comparisons between the microwave oven and the pressure cooker are inevitable but wrong. While both cook foods more quickly and are wonderful, each has different merits. A pressure cooker is great for cooking many meats, soups, stews, beans, and rice. Both have a place in the kitchen.

In addition to the superheated atmosphere, the forces of pressure break down and soften fibrous parts. This action on food cooks it in one-third to one-tenth the normal time.

And forget about the old reputation for exploding. That doesn't happen in today's new models. Modern pressure cookers have a safety valve that releases excess steam when pressure reaches the proper level. Locking mechanisms ensure the pot cannot be opened until every last puff of steam has been safely released.

Hissing and steaming, clacking and "eruptability'' are also history. Today's models combine high-tech wizardry with good old-fashioned appeal.

The following recipes, taken from Pat Dailey's The New Pressure Cooker Cookbook, which is available at the Bermuda Library, demonstrate its versatility: BOLOGNESE SAUCE Preparation time: 15 minutes Pressure cooking time: 15 minutes Other cooking time: 15 minutes Yield: 8 cups 1 lb. lean ground beef 1 lb. bulk hot or mild Italian sausage 2 lge. cloves garlic 2 medium onions (about 10 oz. total) 1 lge. carrot 1 lge. stalk celery 1 28-oz. can chopped tomatoes in pure me 1 6-oz. can tomato paste 1 cup dry red wine 2 tsp. dried basil 3 tsp. dried oregano 3 tsp. sugar 8 oz. small mushrooms, trimmed and quartered Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste 3 cup cream or half-and-half, if desired CRUMBLE beef and sausage in pressure cooker, cook until well browned. Spill off all but a small amount of the fat, leaving meat behind.

While meat is browning, prepare vegetables. If you have a food processor, mince garlic in it, then chop onions, carrot and celery. Otherwise chop everything by hand.

When meat is browned, stir in vegetables, cook two minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, basil, oregano, and sugar. Cover pressure cooker and bring up to full pressure (15 pounds). Reduce heat to stabilise pressure and cook for 15 minutes. Release pressure, add mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, until mushrooms are just tender -- about 5 minutes. Add cream, adjust seasoning. Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen.

CREOLE CREAM OF ONION SOUP Preparation time: 10 minutes Pressure cooking time: 10 minutes Other cooking time: 10 minutes Yield: 4 cups 5 oz. andouille sausage 11 lbs. sweet onions 1 small, peeled potato (about 4 ozs) 1 lge. clove garlic 2 tbsp. dry sherry 1 tsp. dried thyme 1 to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper 1 bay leaf 2 cups chicken stock or broth 1 cup half-and-half or whipping cream CUT sausage into 1 -inch thick slices, then dice. Cut onions and potato into thin slices. Mince garlic. Cook sausage in pressure cooker, uncovered, over medium heat until fat is rendered -- about 5 minutes. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, set aside. De-glaze pot with sherry, adding it while pot is still hot, and stirring to dissolve the browned bits from the bottom. Add onions, potato, and garlic. Cook over high heat, stirring often, until they're soft -- about 5 minutes. Stir in thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf. Add stock or broth, cover pressure cooker, and bring up to full pressure (15 pounds). Reduce heat to stabilise pressure and cook for 10 minutes. Release pressure. Remove, discard bay leaf. Strain solids from liquid, reserving both.

Pure me solids in food processor or blender. Stir pure me back into reserved cooking liquid along with the half-and-half or cream and sausage. Re-heat briefly without letting soup come to a boil. Serve hot. Soup can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

Note: Andouille sausage is a Creole-style sausage with a peppery bite, made from pork and spices. If andouille is not available, a garlicky smoked sausage in casing can be substituted along with red pepper to taste.

RASPBERRY-GLAZED CHICKEN Preparation time: 5 minutes plus 4 hours marinating time Pressure cooking time: 12 minutes Other cooking time: 15 minutes Yield: 3 to 4 servings 1 cup light, fruity red wine 1 cup raspberry vinegar 1 cup dark soy sauce 2 tbsps honey 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 med clove garlic, minced 1 frying chicken, cut into serving pieces COMBINE wine, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, mustard, and garlic in a large plastic food bag. Remove skin and fat from chicken. Add chicken to marinade, seal bag, and turn it over several times so chicken is well coated with marinade. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Transfer chicken and marinade to pressure cooker. Cover pressure cooker and bring up to full pressure (15 pounds). Reduce heat to stabilise pressure and cook for 12 minutes. Release pressure. Remove chicken and set aside, leaving marinade in pan. Skim any fat from surface of the liquid, then boil vigorously, uncovered, until thick and syrupy -- 10 to 12 minutes. Return chicken to the pan, turn it over several times so it is coated with the glaze, and cook 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

CURRIED BEEF This is not a hot curry. The amount of cayenne pepper given here makes a very tame dish. Add more as you please. Pork or lamb can be used in place of the beef. Traditionally, curried dishes are served with an array of colourful garnishes, anything from raisins to peanuts to cucumbers in yogurt. For a simple meal, just add rice and chutney.

Preparation time: 10 minutes Pressure cooking time: 20 minutes Other cooking time: 3 minutes Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1 tsp. ground coriander 1 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. turmeric 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste 1 tsp. ground clove 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ground cardamom 1 bay leaf Great-tasting recipes to try out in a pressure cooker 1 tsp. ground cumin Salt to taste 1 large clove garlic 1 piece fresh ginger, about 3 -inch cube 2 medium onions 3 tbsp. unsalted butter 2 lbs. beef round, cut into large cubes 1 cup plus 1 tbsp. water 2 tbsp. tomato paste 2 tsp. red wine vinegar 11 tbsp. flour COMBINE coriander, paprika, turmeric, cayenne pepper, clove, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf, cumin, and salt to taste in a small dish and set aside.

Mince garlic and ginger. Cut onions into 1 -inch cubes. Melt butter in pressure cooker. Stir in spice mixture, garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute. Add onions and cook 1 minute longer. Add meat, 1 cup water, and tomato paste.

Cover pressure cooker and bring up to full pressure (15 pounds). Reduce heat to stabilise pressure and cook for 20 minutes. Release pressure.

Combine remaining 1 tbsp. water and the vinegar with the flour to make a smooth paste. Stir in several tbsp. of broth from the meat, then stir flour mixture back into the meat broth. Cook over high heat until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Curry can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen.

LAMB SHANKS WITH GARLICKY PORT WINE SAUCE The sauce is robust and richly flavoured. Don't be daunted by the amount of garlic. The cloves become quite sweet and tame as they cook. Serve over cooked rice, orzo, or other tiny pasta.

Preparation time: 10 minutes Pressure cooking time: 30 minutes Additional cooking time: 10 minutes Yield: 2 servings 2 lamb shanks, about 1 lb. each Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 tbsp. olive oil 10 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole 1 cup chicken stock or broth 1 cup port wine 1 tbsp. tomato paste 1 tsp. dried rosemary 1 tbsp. unsalted butter 1 to 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar TRIM excess fat from lamb shanks, season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in pressure cooker. Add meat, brown on all sides. When almost completely browned, add garlic cloves. Cook until lightly browned but not burned. Add stock or broth, port, tomato paste, and rosemary, stirring so paste dissolves. Close the pressure cooker and bring up to full pressure (15 pounds). Reduce heat to stabilise pressure, cook 30 minutes.

Release pressure, remove lamb shanks. Return pressure cooker to heat and boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken sauce. Whisk in butter, add vinegar. Serve sauce over lamb shanks.

TAHITIAN SWORDFISH Preparation time: 10 minutes plus 4 hours marinating time Pressure cooking time: 3 minutes Yield: 4 servings 3 cup fresh cilantro 2 small cloves garlic 1 piece fresh ginger, about 3 -inch cube 2 strips orange zest 2 strips lime zest 1 cup vegetable oil 41 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar (or rice vinegar mixed with sugar to taste) 2 tbsp. orange juice 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes Salt to taste 4 swordfish steaks, about 1 inch thick Fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish MINCE cilantro, garlic, ginger, orange zest, and lime zest in a food processor or by hand. Mix with the oil, vinegar, orange juice, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Transfer to a large plastic food bag and add swordfish. Seal bag and turn over several times so fish is well coated. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Transfer fish and marinade to the pressure cooker. Cover pressure cooker and bring up to full pressure (15 pounds). Reduce heat to stabilise pressure and cook for 3 minutes. Release pressure immediately. The fish should be firm but not hard. Add more time if necessary, taking care not to overcook the fish.

Spoon the marinade over the fish and garnish with sprigs of cilantro.

JAMBALAYA Preparation time: 15 minutes Pressure cooking time: 8 minutes Other cooking time: 10 minutes Yield: 5 cups, 4 servings 1 large onion 1 large green bell pepper 3 medium stalks celery 1 large clove garlic 6 oz. smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa 1 whole boneless chicken breast 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 6 oz. medium shell-on shrimp 1 cup converted, long-grain rice 11 cups chicken stock or broth 1 cup tomato sauce with tomato bits 1 bay leaf 1 tsp. dried thyme 1 tsp. cayenne pepper or to taste 3 to 4 dashes red pepper sauce Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste DICE onion, but green pepper into 1-inch squares and celery into 1 -inch slices. Mince garlic. Cut sausage into 1 -inch-thick slices and chicken into bite-sized chunks.

Heat oil in pressure cooker. Add sausage, chicken, and shrimp. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until chicken and shrimp are firm and cooked through -- about 4 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove from pot and set aside.

Set shrimp aside and peel when they are cool enough to handle. Add onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic to pressure cooker and cook, stirring often, until vegetables begin to soften -- 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in rice and cook 1 minute longer. Add stock or broth, tomato sauce, bay leaf, thyme, cayenne pepper, red pepper sauce, salt and black pepper to taste.

Cover pressure cooker and bring up to full pressure (15 pounds). Reduce heat to stabilise pressure and cook 8 minutes. Release pressure, remove cover. Stir in sausage, chicken and shrimp, cover pressure cooker, and let stand 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning, serve hot. Jambalaya can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat on stove or in microwave, adding additional stock or tomato juice if necessary.

BANANA CUSTARDS Serve warm with a light chocolate sauce, or cold with raspberry or papaya pure me. Do not overcook. Carefully maintain pressure at 5 pounds so texture remains smooth.

Preparation time: 15 minutes Pressure cooking time: 12 minutes Yield: 4 servings 1 medium, very ripe banana 2 large egg yolks 1 large egg 3 tbsp. sugar 1 cup half-and-half 1 cup sweetened condensed milk 1 cup sour cream 11 tsp. dark rum 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 2 cups water HAVE four 6-oz. souffle m dishes on hand. Pure me banana in a food processor or blender. Add egg yolks, egg, and sugar. Mix until smooth. Add half-and-half, condensed milk, sour cream, rum, and vanilla. Mix well. Strain mixture through a fine strainer. Transfer to souffle m dishes and cover tightly with aluminium foil. Add 2 cups of water to bottom of pressure cooker.

Insert steamer basket and add souffle m dishes. The water should not reach the steamer. Add the trivet if necessary to keep the water from touching the dishes. Cover pressure cooker and bring up to low pressure (5 pounds). Reduce heat to a very low setting to stabilise pressure and cook for 12 minutes.

Release pressure immediately and remove souffle m dishes. Uncover immediately.

To store in the refrigerator, cool, uncovered, to lukewarm. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.

APPLE-CURRANT STEAMED PUDDING Steamed puddings are not at all what we typically think of as a pudding, but rather they're very much like a dense, moist cake generously laden with bits of fresh and dried fruit. They're wonderfully homey and make a sensational dessert served warm with whipped cream or a custard sauce. Cooking them in the pressure cooker is a two-step process. First, they are steamed without any pressure. Then, after they've risen, the pressure's on and they'll cook in about half the usual time.

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 12 hours marinating time Pressure cooking time: 30 minutes Other cooking time: 25 minutes Yield: 6 servings 1 cup dried currants 2 tbsp. bourbon, brandy or water 11 lbs. tart cooking apples 1 stick (8 tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. packed light brown sugar 1 tsp. ground cloves Freshly grated nutmeg to taste 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 3 large eggs 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 3 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1 cup finely crushed vanilla cookie crumbs 4 cups water COMBINE currants and bourbon or water in a small plastic food bag, let stand overnight or longer, or soften in microwave oven 35 to 40 seconds.

Peel and core apples, dice into 3 -inch cubes. Melt 4 tbsp. butter in the pressure cooker. Add apples and cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of the brown sugar, ground cloves, and nutmeg to taste. Cook until most of the liquid has cooked away, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat, add vanilla.

Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat remaining 4 tbsp. butter and remaining 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. brown sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well, then fold in cookie crumbs, currants, and apples. Transfer to a buttered, 6-cup mould. Cover with buttered aluminium foil, then wrap in foil so water can't get into pudding.

Put 4 cups of water in bottom of pressure cooker. Place pudding mould in the steamer basket and add to pressure cooker. Cover pressure cooker but do not seal it. Bring to a boil, then simmer 25 minutes.

Remove cover to check water level, adding more as necessary. Cover and lock pressure cooker and bring up to full pressure (15 pounds). Reduce heat to stabilise pressure and cook 30 minutes longer. Release pressure, remove mould and cool for 10 minutes. Uncover and invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm with whipped cream or custard sauce. Pudding can be made several days in advance and reheated. To do so, cook as above and cool completely in mould, then refrigerate. Return to steamer basket in pressure cooker and add 3 cups water. Bring to full pressure (15 pounds), then cook for 10 minutes.